Transcript Inversion in the English Language.

Author: N. A. Polovnikova,
teacher of English of
Gymnasium #1
 Standard
word order in English affirmative
sentences is first the subject, then the
verb.
For example:
Lena went to the park yesterday.
 Changing
standard word order is called
"inversion" (inverted word order; inverse
word order). Inversion in English usually
refers to placing the auxiliary, modal, or
main verb before the subject. Inversion is
used with a certain aim, often for emphasis.
For example:
Never before have I seen such beauty.
There may be another problem.
Away ran the witch and the monster.
 It
is advisable for language learners to avoid
using most of the emphatic inverted
constructions described below. It is
necessary to understand inversion, but it is
better to use standard, ordinary word order
in your own speech and writing.
 Cases
of inversion that you really need to
use in your speech include:
 questions
 the construction "there is, there are"
 sentences beginning with "here" or "there
 and responses like "So do I; Neither do I"
 The
most common type of inversion in
English consists in moving the auxiliary verb
into the position before the subject. This
type of inversion is most often used in
questions.
For example:
Did Lena go to the park yesterday?
Has she found her keys?
 Inversion
is required in the construction
"there is, there are" and in cases where a
modal verb or a main verb is used in such
constructions.
There are several books on the table.
There must be a reason for it.
There exist several theories on this matter.
 Inversion
takes place in sentences beginning
with the adverb "here" or "there". Some
phrases beginning with "here" or "there" have
idiomatic character.
Here comes the sun.
There goes the bell.
 Inversion
is required in responses like "So do
I" and "Neither do I“.
I like coffee. – So do I.
I don't like coffee. – Neither do I.
 Inversion
is also required in compound
sentences with such constructions.
I like coffee, and so does Ella.
I don't like coffee, and neither does Ella.
 Inversion
is required in the subordinate
clause of conditional sentences in which
the subordinating conjunction "if" is
omitted. If the conjunction "if" is used,
inversion is not used.
Were I not so tired, I would go there with
you. – If I weren't so tired, I would go there
with you.
 Inversion
takes place in constructions with
verbs like "said, asked, replied" placed after
direct speech.
"I'll help you," said Anton.
 But if the subject of such constructions is
expressed by a personal pronoun, the verb is
placed after the subject.
"Thank you for your help," she said.
 Inversion
is sometimes used for emphasis in
exclamatory sentences.
Oh my, am I hungry! – I'm so hungry!
How beautiful are these roses! – How
beautiful these roses are!
 The
following cases of inversion occur when
some parts of the sentence, for example, the
adverbial modifier of place or direction,
come at the beginning of the sentence.
Inversion in such cases consists in moving
the auxiliary verb, and in some cases the
main verb ( the whole tense form), into the
position before the subject.
 Such types of inversion are used for
emphasis, mostly in literary works. It is
advisable for language learners to use
standard word order in such cases.
 Inversion
after "so", "such", "as"
So unhappy did the boy look that we gave
him all the sweets that we had. – The boy
looked so unhappy that we gave him all the
sweets that we had.
Owls live in tree hollows, as do squirrels. –
Owls and squirrels live in tree hollows.
 Inversion
after adjectives and participles
Beautiful was her singing. – Her singing was
beautiful.
Gone are the days when he was young and
full of energy. – The days when he was young
and full of energy are gone.
 Inversion
after adverbial modifiers of place
In the middle of the road was sitting a
strange old man dressed in black. – A strange
old man dressed in black was sitting in the
middle of the road.
 Inversion after postpositions
Up went hundreds of toy balloons. –
Hundreds of toy balloons went up.
 Inversion
in negative constructions
 Inversion is required in negative sentences
beginning with the following negative
adverbs and adverbial phrases: never; never
before; not only...but also; not until; no
sooner; at no time; on no account; under
no circumstances.
 Inversion also takes place in sentences
beginning with the following adverbs and
adverbial phrases used in a negative sense:
rarely; seldom; hardly; scarcely; little; only
when; only after; only then.
 Inverted
negative constructions are used for
emphasis, mostly in formal writing and in
literary works.
Never before have I felt such fear. – I have
never felt such fear before.
Not only did he spill coffee everywhere, but
he also broke my favorite vase. – He not only
spilled coffee everywhere but also broke my
favorite vase.
Hardly had I stepped into the house when
the light went out. – I had hardly stepped
into the house when the light went out.
 http://usefulenglish.ru/miscellany/inversion
Thank You!